The EU last night banned livestock markets throughout Europe for two weeks and imposed severe restrictions on the movement of animals.
The EU's Standing Veterinary Committee extended the ban on British meat and dairy exports until March 23rd and ordered the disinfection of tyres on vehicles from the UK arriving in other EU member-states.
But the vets decided that, because there was a good chance of stamping out the latest outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, there was no reason to vaccinate against the virus. If the EU were to initiate a vaccination programme, the Union would lose its status as a foot-and-mouth disease-free region.
The UK remains the only EU member-state to have confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease, and the EU vets heard a detailed report of the steps being taken by the British authorities in response to the problem.
The British representative on the committee told his colleagues that the epidemic may be about to peak. "The information he gave was rather reassuring. The authorities expect a peak today, tomorrow or through this week," said a European Commission spokesman, Mr Thorsten Muench.
Tests on suspect animals in France, Germany, Belgium and Denmark have proved negative, although the French authorities found traces of the virus in slaughtered sheep last week.
The measures agreed last night mean that pigs, sheep, cattle and goats may not be moved for the next two weeks, except for direct slaughter and from farm to farm "subject to authorisation by the competent authorities".
